Overripe
Aged beyond its peak: runny, bitter or ammoniated, with a rind that is sticky, cracked or discoloured.
Also: past its best, over the hill, trop fait
Every cheese has a peak, and an overripe cheese has passed it. Soft bloomy cheeses become liquid inside, smell of ammonia and develop a brown, sticky rind. Washed-rind cheeses grow sharp, bitter and sulphurous. Fresh cheeses turn sour, slimy or yeasty. Firm cheeses rarely become overripe in the same way, though they may dry out, crack or turn bitter. Some people love cheeses at the very edge of overripe, and in parts of France and Italy a well-runny cheese is a treat. An affineur's skill lies in selling each cheese before it reaches that point, which for small soft cheeses may be a matter of days.